To date, no one has been arrested or charged with the Aug. 17, 2010, arson fire in City Hall’s fourth-floor attic that led to massive water damage of walls and floors when the fire department doused the smoky blaze.

City departments continue to operate on a temporary basis in the former Lowell M. Maxham School at 141 Oak St, which has been updated in terms of air conditioning, handicapped access, dedicated office space and security systems.

The City Hall building downtown at 15 Summer St. remains closed to the public.

The progress:

Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. recently re-emphasized his desire to see progress in the proposed rehabilitation of the historic Taunton City Hall. During a presentation on his proposed fiscal 2015 budget, Hoye said that restoring City Hall is a goal for the city that needs to be accomplished.

“We need to be downtown,” Hoye said. “I don’t want to keep talking about it. I want to make it happen.”

The City Council has held recent meeting with engineers at Durkee Brown Viveiros and Werenfels about the City Hall reconstruction project, but there has been an ongoing hold on the project as the neighboring Star Theater is waiting to demolished. The demolition is being held up as the New York Lace store nearby works with the city’s law department about concerns about potential damage to the dress store during the demolition, city councilors said previously.

After that is dealt with, choosing a conceptual design plan and financing will be the next step, said City Councilor Deborah Carr. Three conceptual designs were presented by Durkee Brown Viveiros and Werenfels last year.

Last Tuesday, the City Council’s public properties subcommittee, Wayne Walkden presented a list of recommended repairs and upgrades for city-owned property. The City Hall project was one of 48 items.

Walkden put the price tag estimate at $25,000,000, and also said that a parking lot study must be undertaken.